Grain cart with folding auger

ABSTRACT

A grain cart and foldable auger assembly having an upper auger assembly portion with a discharge portion, a lower auger assembly portion with an intake portion, and a joint that allows the upper auger assembly portion to be moved between operating and transport positions. When in an operating position, the upper auger portion and the lower auger portion are offset from each other by an operating offset angle. The grain cart also has a hitch for allowing the grain cart to be towed. The discharge portion is forward of the hitch when in the operating position. Embodiments of the present invention provide, for example, increased forward and side reach, additional storage capacity of the hopper, increased discharge rate from the hopper, and a more compact transport position.

CROSS REFERENCE OF RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of thefiling date of provisional patent application Ser. No. 62/348,277 filedJun. 10, 2016, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to grain carts and, moreparticularly, to grain carts having folding augers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In agriculture, augers are frequently used to move material from a cartto another cart, silo, truck, or other storage facility. Augers used tomove grain are known as grain augers and are frequently employed ingrain carts. A typical grain auger includes an auger screw of constantdiameter and pitch that is housed inside a tubular housing or shaft toform an auger assembly. An intake portion of the auger assembly can drawfrom a hopper (usually by gravity) attached to it to receive grain orother material from the hopper and the other end (i.e., the dischargeend) has a chute or the like to guide the grain or other material intoits destination. It is well known in the art to attach an auger assemblyto a grain cart to off-load the grain cart.

As a grain cart with a fully extended auger can be somewhat unwieldyduring transport, many grain carts employ folding augers that can opento an operating position and fold to a transport position. In general, afolding auger assembly includes a lower auger assembly and an upperauger assembly. When in the operating position, the upper and lowerauger assemblies function as one co-linear auger. When in the transportposition, the upper auger portion folds to reduce the height and thewidth of the grain cart. Folding the auger assembly makes it easier totransport the grain cart on roads.

U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2004/0184905, 2007/0119688, and2005/0238470 as well as U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,655,872, 5,340,265, 4,846,621,5,628,608, 6,422,376 all disclose folding augers with distinctdisadvantages. For instance, none of them maximize side and forwardreach when in an operating position and minimize transport size when ina transport position. Another disadvantage of prior art folding augersis that the folding motion may not clear the cab of some tractors,making it difficult to convert the auger between operating and transportpositions.

Grain carts with folding augers come in two main varieties:front-folding augers and side-folding augers. Front-folding augers foldalong a front of the grain cart and typically the upper auger assemblymust be no longer than the width of the grain cart (or the hypotenusefrom the pivot point to the ground if it is a diagonally-folding frontauger), otherwise it would extend beyond a side wall of the grain cartwhen in the transport position making travel on a roadway dangerous. Anexample of a front-folding auger may be found in co-owned U.S. Pat. No.9,039,340, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by referencein its entirety. Side-folding augers are typically longer thanfront-folding augers, and can achieve greater height and reach thanfront-folding augers. However, a disadvantage with existing side-foldingaugers is the limited visibility of the discharge operation from theviewpoint of an operator in a tractor towing the grain cart due to thelimited forward reach of existing side-folding augers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One aspect of the present invention provides a grain cart comprising awheeled frame and a container mounted on the frame and configured tohold a quantity of grain, the container having front, rear and laterallyopposed side walls. The grain cart further includes a folding augerassembly having upper and lower auger assembly portions connected by ajoint assembly. The lower auger assembly portion has a lower augerhousing with first and second ends and a lower auger portion rotatablydisposed in the lower auger housing, and the upper auger assemblyportion has an upper auger housing with first and second ends and anupper auger portion rotatably disposed in the upper auger housing. Thefirst end of the lower auger housing has an intake opening proximate abottom of the container to receive grain and the second end of the lowerauger housing is disposed adjacent a front corner of the container whereone of the laterally opposed side walls intersects the front wall. Thefirst end of the upper auger housing is disposed adjacent the second endof the lower auger housing and the second end of the upper auger housinghas a discharge portion to discharge grain from the container. The jointassembly defines a pivot axis about which the upper auger assemblyportion is pivotable relative to the lower auger assembly portionbetween an operating position in which the first end of the upper augerhousing abuts the second end of the lower auger housing to permit grainto be discharged from the container and a transport position in whichthe upper auger assembly portion extends along the one of the laterallyopposed side walls defining the front corner to facilitate transportingthe grain cart. A longitudinal axis of the lower auger assembly portionextends upwardly, forwardly, and laterally outward relative to the frontcorner of the container and wherein a longitudinal axis of the upperauger assembly portion extends laterally outward relative to thelongitudinal axis of the lower auger assembly portion thereby increasingside reach of the upper auger assembly portion. The upper assemblyportion includes a first auger coupling portion and the lower augerassembly portion includes a second auger coupling portion, and whereinat least one of the first and second auger coupling portions isangularly offset from a longitudinal axis of at least one of the upperand lower auger housings and connected to a joint that allows thetransfer of rotational motion through an angle. The first auger couplingportion is configured to releasably engage with the second augercoupling portion in the operating position, and the first auger couplingportion is configured to disengage from the second auger couplingportion. The joint transmits rotational forces through the angularoffset when the first and second auger coupling portions are releasablyengaged in the operating position. The grain cart also includes a hitchfor allowing the grain cart to be towed, wherein the discharge portionis forward of the hitch when in the operating position.

In an embodiment, the discharge portion is configured to be visible froma window of a tractor towing the cart. In an embodiment, the grain cartfurther comprises a hitch for allowing the grain cart to be towed. In anembodiment, the discharge portion is forward of the hitch when in theoperating position. In an embodiment, the discharge portion is forwardof the hitch when in the operating position by a distance from 60 inchesto 70 inches. In an embodiment, the discharge portion includes adischarge spout.

In an embodiment, the joint is a universal joint. In an embodiment, anangle of the joint formed by longitudinal axes of the upper and lowerauger assembly portions is from 17° to 18° when in the operatingposition.

In an embodiment, the upper auger assembly portion does not extendbeyond the rear wall when in the transport position. In an embodiment,the upper auger assembly portion extends beyond the rear wall when inthe transport position by a distance no more than 5 inches. In anembodiment, the lower auger assembly portion forms an angle with theground of from 22° to 26°.

In some embodiments, an angle formed by the upper auger assembly portionand said the lower auger assembly portion when in the transport positionis from 25° to 55°, or from 30° to 40°. In some embodiments, the pivotaxis is located behind a front-sloping portion of the front wall and inother embodiments, the pivot axis is located in front of a front-slopingportion of the front wall.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a grain cartincludes a wheeled frame and a container mounted on the frame andconfigured to hold a quantity of grain, the container having front, rearand laterally opposed side walls. The grain cart also includes aside-folding auger assembly having upper and lower auger assemblyportions connected by a joint assembly, the lower auger assembly portionhaving a lower auger housing with first and second ends and a lowerauger portion rotatably disposed in the lower auger housing, and theupper auger assembly portion having an upper auger housing with firstand second ends and an upper auger portion rotatably disposed in theupper auger housing. The grain cart also includes a hitch for allowingthe grain cart to be towed. The upper auger assembly portion ispivotable relative to the lower auger assembly portion between anoperating position in which grain is permitted to be discharged from thecontainer and a transport position in which the upper auger assemblyportion extends along one of the laterally opposed side walls. The upperauger includes a discharge portion to discharge grain from thecontainer. The discharge portion is forward of the hitch when in theoperating position. The upper auger assembly portion has a forward hitchreach and a side reach, wherein the forward hitch reach is a distancethe discharge portion is forward of the hitch when in the operatingposition, and the side reach is a distance the discharge portion extendsoutward from the one of the laterally opposed side walls. In oneexemplary embodiment, the forward hitch reach is at least 45% of theside reach.

In some embodiments, the forward hitch reach is at least 50% or at least55% or at least 60% of the side reach.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a grain cartincludes a wheeled frame and a container mounted on the frame andconfigured to hold a quantity of grain, the container having front, rearand laterally opposed side walls. The grain cart further includes aside-folding auger assembly. The grain cart further includes hitchassembly including a hitch for allowing the grain cart to be towed and atelescoping tongue. The hitch assembly is operable to adjust the lengthof the telescoping tongue.

In some embodiments, the grain cart further comprises a controller. Insome embodiments, the controller is configured to cause the hitchassembly to adjust the length of the telescoping tongue so that thehitch assembly moves to a retracted position when one or more of a powertake off (PTO), a driveshaft, and an auger begins rotating. In someembodiments, the controller is configured to cause the hitch assembly toadjust the length of the telescoping tongue so that the hitch assemblymoves to an extended position when the one or more of the power take off(PTO), the driveshaft, and the auger stops rotating. In someembodiments, the controller is configured to cause the hitch assembly toadjust the length of the telescoping tongue so that the hitch assemblymoves to an extended position when an unloading process has completed.In some embodiments, the controller is configured to cause the hitchassembly to adjust the length of the telescoping tongue so that thehitch assembly moves to a retracted position when an auger is moved to atransport position and wherein the controller is further configured tocause the hitch assembly to adjust the length of the telescoping tongueso that the hitch assembly moves to an extended position when the augeris moved to a transport position.

Advantages of embodiments of the present invention include increasedforward and side reach, additional storage capacity of the hopper,increased discharge rate from the hopper, and a more compact transportposition.

Other advantages of the present invention will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art upon reviewing the detailed description of theembodiments and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form partof the specification, illustrate various embodiments of the presentinvention and, together with the description, further serve to explainthe principles of the invention and to enable those skilled in the artto make and use the invention. In the drawings, like reference numbersindicate identical or functionally similar elements.

FIG. 1 depicts a top view of a related art side-folding grain cart.

FIG. 2A depicts a top view of a grain cart according to exemplaryembodiments of the present invention.

FIGS. 2B and 2C depict an orthogonal view from a tractor towing thegrain cart of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 3 depicts a front view of a grain cart according to exemplaryembodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 4 depicts a side view of a grain cart according to exemplaryembodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 5 depicts a perspective view of a grain cart according to exemplaryembodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 6 depicts a view of the upper auger portion of a grain cartaccording to exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 7 depicts a view of the lower auger portion of a grain cartaccording to exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 8 depicts a view of the lower auger portion of a grain cartaccording to exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 8A depicts section A-A of FIG. 8.

FIG. 9 depicts a joint assembly coupling the upper auger portion to thelower auger portion according to exemplary embodiments of the presentinvention.

FIG. 10 depicts a side view of a grain cart according to embodiments ofthe present invention.

FIG. 11 depicts a side view of a grain cart according to embodiments ofthe present invention.

FIG. 12 depicts a top view of a grain cart according to embodiments ofthe present invention.

FIG. 13 depicts a top view of a grain cart according to embodiments ofthe present invention.

FIG. 14 depicts a top view of a grain cart according to embodiments ofthe present invention.

FIG. 15A depicts a side view of a grain cart according to embodiments ofthe present invention.

FIG. 15B depicts a side view of a grain cart according to embodiments ofthe present invention.

FIG. 16 depicts a view of a grain cart through the centerline of thehinge pin according to embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

While the present invention may be embodied in many different forms, anumber of illustrative embodiments are described herein with theunderstanding that the present disclosure is to be considered asproviding examples of the principles of the invention and such examplesare not intended to limit the invention to those embodiments describedherein and/or illustrated herein.

FIG. 1 is a top view of a grain cart 100 such as is known in the relatedart. FIG. 1 depicts a grain cart 100 with a side-folding auger assembly110 in an operating position. The grain cart 100 includes a grainholding container or hopper 118 mounted on a frame with wheels 114 and ahitch 116. The hopper 118 has a front wall or side 120, laterallyopposed side walls 122 and 124, and a rear wall or side 126, whichtogether define a grain holding space with an open top and a bottom. Anintake or receiving portion of the auger assembly 110 is positioned in asump proximate the base or bottom of the hopper 118 to draw grain fromthe bottom of the hopper into the auger assembly 110. The auger assembly110 extends upwardly from the intake to a discharge portion 104laterally and forwardly spaced from the hopper 118 to facilitatedischarge of grain from the auger assembly into another container suchas, for instance, another grain cart, semi-trailer, or rail car locatedto the side of the grain cart 100. The discharge portion 104 ispositioned behind the hitch 116.

As shown in FIG. 1, the grain cart 100 is being towed by a tractor 150.Lines 154 and 156 emanate from operator 152 of the cab of the tractor150. The shaded portion 160 between lines 154 and 156 illustrates theportion of the operator's view that is blocked by a vertical cab post151. As is clear from FIG. 1, the operator's view of the unloadoperation is significantly impeded by the vertical cab post 151 due tothe limited forward reach of the auger assembly 110. Also clear fromFIG. 1 is that the operator must turn his or her head substantiallybackward to see the discharge portion 104 of the upper auger assembly110 because the discharge portion 104 of the upper auger assembly issubstantially behind the back wall 153 of the tractor cab.

Embodiments of the present invention achieve various advantages overcart 100 depicted in FIG. 1, and other prior art carts, as is apparentfrom the present disclosure.

FIG. 2A is a top view of a grain cart 200 according to exemplaryembodiments of the present invention. FIG. 2B is a rendered view fromthe perspective of an operator in a tractor towing the grain cart 200.FIG. 2C is a rendered view from the perspective of a tractor towing thegrain cart 200 (without the operator). FIGS. 2A-C depict a grain cart200 with a side-folding auger assembly 210 in an operating position. Thegrain cart 200 includes a grain holding container or hopper 218 mountedon a frame (shown, e.g., in FIG. 3) with wheels 114 and a hitch 216. Thehopper 218 has a front wall or side 220, laterally opposed side walls222 and 224, and a rear wall or side 226, which together define a grainholding space with an open top and a bottom. An intake or receivingportion 812 (shown in FIG. 8) of the auger assembly 210 forms a sumpproximate the base or bottom of the hopper 218 to draw grain from thebottom of the hopper into the auger assembly 210. In some embodiments,the intake draws grain from the bottom of the hopper into the augerassembly 210 by gravity, while in other embodiments grain is fed intoauger assembly 210 by another auger or conveyor. The auger assembly 210extends upwardly from the intake 812 to a discharge portion 204laterally and forwardly spaced from the hopper 218 to facilitatedischarge of grain from the auger assembly into another container suchas, for instance, another grain cart, semi-trailer, or rail car locatedto the side of the grain cart 200.

As shown in FIG. 2A, the grain cart 200 is being towed by tractor 150.Lines 254 and 256 emanate from operator 152 of the cab of the tractor150. The shaded portion 260 between lines 254 and 256 illustrates theportion of the operator's view that is blocked by a vertical cab post151. This is further illustrated in the rendered views of FIGS. 2B and2C, which show the view from the tractor 150 during an unload operation,such as unloading the grain cart 200 into a storage container. As isclear from FIGS. 2A-C, the operator's view of the unload operation issignificantly improved as compared to that shown in FIG. 1. This isbecause of the improved forward and side reach of auger assembly 210. Inaccordance with embodiments of the invention, the discharge portion 204of the upper auger assembly extends in front of the back wall 153 of thetractor cab enabling the discharge portion of the upper auger assemblyto be readily observable to the tractor operator in the operatingposition, as illustrated in FIGS. 2A-2C.

Auger assembly 210 includes an upper auger assembly portion 202 and alower auger assembly portion 406 (shown in FIG. 4). The lower augerassembly portion 406 extends from intake portion 812 (shown in FIG. 8)near the bottom of hopper 218 to a front corner of the hopper where theone of the laterally opposed side walls 222 or 224 intersects front wall220. In some embodiments, the lower auger assembly portion 406 extendsfrom intake portion 812 to a point proximally adjacent to a frontcorner, immediately adjacent to a front corner, or disposed at orsubstantially at a front corner of the hopper. This is in contrast tothe location of the auger assembly 110 in cart 100, which is disposedalong a side wall of cart 100 and substantially away from the corner.The upper auger assembly portion 202 is connected to the lower augerassembly portion 406 by a joint assembly 508 (shown in FIGS. 5 and 9)that allows the upper auger assembly portion to be moved between anoperating position extending laterally and forwardly outward from thefront corner of the cart and a transport position folded across the sideof the cart. In one embodiment, the joint assembly 508 is configuredsuch that, in the operating position, the upper auger assembly portion202 is angularly offset from the lower auger assembly portion 406 to thedischarge portion 204 at an elevated position forwardly and to the sideof the hopper 218. That is, a longitudinal axis of the upper augerassembly portion 202 may in one embodiment intersect a longitudinal axisof the lower auger assembly portion 406 at an angle θ₁ (see FIG. 4). Thedischarge portion 204 has a rotatable opening or spout that can bepositioned to discharge grain from the auger assembly 210 into anothergrain cart or the like located to the side of grain cart 200.

In the transport position (shown, e.g., in FIG. 5), the upper augerassembly portion 202 is folded at joint assembly 508 so that it extendsrearwardly along a side of cart 200. In the transport position of thisembodiment, the entire auger assembly 210 is disposed substantiallywithin the external dimensional boundaries of the grain cart. Inaccordance with some embodiments, the upper auger assembly portion 202may fit within the external dimensional boundaries of the grain cart,when in the transport position, or extend past it, e.g., past the rearof cart 200.

Joint assembly 508 can affect a fold of auger assembly 210 according toan embodiment of the present invention. As can be seen (e.g., in FIGS.5, 6 and 7) each of the upper auger assembly portion 202 and the lowerauger assembly portion 406 includes an auger. The upper auger assemblyportion 202 includes an upper auger 601 disposed within an upper tubularhousing 510 and the lower auger assembly portion 406 includes a lowerauger 504 disposed within a lower tubular housing 512. According to someembodiments of the present invention, the upper auger and lower augerhave different diameters. For instance, the lower auger assembly mighthave a greater diameter than the upper auger assembly. According toother embodiments, the diameters can be the same or the upper augerassembly can have a greater diameter. Additionally, the pitch of theblades of the upper and lower augers can be different according to otherembodiments of the invention.

In accordance with a non-limiting embodiment, joint assembly 508coupling the upper auger portion to the lower auger portion with anangular offset (see FIG. 4) is further illustrated in FIG. 9. As shownin FIG. 9, joint assembly 508 may include hinge pin 901 having a pivotaxis. The hinge pin 901 is oriented to cause the upper auger assemblyportion 202 to fold in the manner described. In other words, the hingepin 901 defines the pivot axis about which the upper auger assemblyportion 202 can be folded. In some embodiments, the joint assembly 508may also include flanges 910 and 912 and auger coupling portions 602 and702 (see also FIGS. 6 and 7). In some embodiments, one or both of aplane formed by flange 910 and a plane formed by flange 912 may beskewed relative to the longitudinal axis of upper auger assembly portion202 and lower auger assembly portion 406. Lower auger coupling portion702 is connected to the lower auger 504 by a joint and is held in adesired orientation relative to lower housing 512 by a bearing hanger704. Upper auger coupling portion 602 is in alignment with lowercoupling portion 702 when upper and lower auger assembly portions are inthe operational position shown in FIG. 4. According to some embodimentsof the present invention, the joint 905 connecting auger couplingportion 702 to lower auger 504 is a universal joint (also known as auniversal coupling, a U-joint, a Cardan joint, a Hardy-Spicer joint, ora Hooke's joint). However, any joint that allows the transfer ofrotational motion through an angle would be acceptable. A hinge pin(e.g. hinge pin 901) can be oriented such that the upper auger portion202 and the lower auger portion 406 can be rotated about one another inan operating state. In a non-limiting embodiment, when the flanged ends910 and 912 abut one another, the upper and lower auger portions 202 and406 are angled relative to each other and coupling portions 602 and 702mate together to cause concurrent rotation of the upper and lower augerswithin their respective housings to draw grain from the container anddischarge it into another container.

In accordance with some non-limiting embodiments, the hinge pin 901 maybe located behind a front sloping portion 221 of front wall 220 of thehopper 218. In accordance with other non-limiting embodiments, the hingepin 901, or at least a portion of the lower auger flange, may extendahead of the front sloping portion 221 of front wall 220 of the hopper218. For example, FIG. 15A illustrates a non-limiting embodiment wherehinge pin 901 is in front of the front sloping portion 221 by a distanced₁ and FIG. 15B illustrates a non-limiting embodiment where hinge pin901 is behind the front sloping portion 221 by a distance d₂.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, the upper augerassembly portion 202 is offset from the lower auger assembly portion 406by an operating offset angle θ₁ (shown in FIG. 4). That is to say that aline (i.e., a longitudinal axis) running through the center of the lowerauger portion 406 would be offset by an operating offset angle θ₁ from aline (i.e., a longitudinal axis) running through the center of the upperauger assembly portion 202.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the offset angle increases side reach of theauger by positioning the upper auger assembly portion 202 laterally tothe left. In certain embodiments, operating offset angle θ₁ ranges fromabout greater than 0° to about 20°, or about 15° to 19°. In certainembodiments, operating offset angle θ₁ is about 17.5°. In accordancewith one non-limiting embodiment, an offset angle of about 17.5° can beutilized to provide desirable side reach and forward reach of the upperauger assembly portion 202. While the upper and lower auger assemblyportions need not be co-linear, in other embodiments, the upper andlower auger assemblies are co-linear, and do not form an operatingoffset angle.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, the augerassembly 210 includes a control system 404 for controlling the foldingand unfolding of the auger between the operating position and thetransport position (see FIG. 4). According to embodiments of theinvention, the control system can be a hydraulic system or an electronicmotor. In certain embodiments, the control system can be controlled froma remote location such as from a tractor, which may be coupled orhitched to the grain cart.

In some embodiments, a protrusion or projection 619 (shown in FIG. 6) isoptionally located on the upper portion of the auger assembly 210between the folding joint and the discharge portion to engage a stop onthe side of the cart in the transport position. In an embodiment, theprojection includes a pin spaced from the auger housing and the stopdefines a cradle that catches the pin to prevent further downwardmovement of the upper auger portion while also restraining inwardmovement thereof (i.e. toward the cart center) during transport. Thelocation of the projection allows the upper auger assembly portion to befolded regardless of the rotational orientation of the discharge portionor spout.

In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, increasedforward and side reach of the auger assembly can be achieved by acombination of one or more features. For example, positioning the lowerauger assembly toward a corner closer to the front of the cart (asillustrated in FIG. 2A) allows the lower auger assembly length to beincreased in comparison to the configuration of the lower auger assemblyillustrated in FIG. 1. Increasing the lower auger assembly length andpositioning it close to the front corner of the cart will result ingreater forward reach of the auger assembly 210, even if using an upperauger assembly portion 202 having the same length as the upper augerassembly portion disclosed in FIG. 1.

In accordance with some embodiments, increasing the forward reach of theupper auger assembly can be achieved by having the lower auger assemblyportion make a shallower angle with the ground. For example, asillustrated in FIG. 5, the lower auger portion 406 forms an angle θ₂with the ground (e.g., horizontal reference plane 520). By making theangle θ₂ smaller, the lower and upper auger assemblies will be lower tothe ground thereby increasing the forward reach of the upper augerassembly. In some non-limiting embodiments (for example, thoseembodiments having the dogleg or positive operating offset angle θ₁),the lower auger portion angle θ₂ may be from 20° to 40°, and in certainembodiments from 22° to 26°, and in certain embodiments approximately24°. In other non-limiting embodiments (for example, those embodimentswithout the dogleg, where the upper and lower auger assembly portionsare collinear), the lower auger portion angle θ₂ may be from 20° to 40°,and in certain embodiments from 30° to 36°, and in certain embodimentsapproximately 34°. In other non-limiting embodiments (for example, thoseembodiments without the dogleg where the upper and lower auger assemblyportions are colinear), the lower auger portion angle θ₂ may be from 20°to 40°, and in certain embodiments from 22° to 26°, and in certainembodiments approximately 24°. Thus, in accordance with someembodiments, a shallower angle (smaller θ₂) will increase the forwardreach of the upper auger assembly.

In accordance with some embodiments, as explained above, including a“dogleg” or operating offset angle (i.e. θ₁>0) (as illustrated in FIG.4), will improve the side reach of the auger assembly 210. For example,the larger the laterally offset angle is, the more the auger assemblywill extend laterally, thereby increasing the side reach of the augerassembly 210.

In accordance with some embodiments, decreasing the hitch length mayalso improve the forward reach of the auger assembly 210. For example,the shorter the length of the hitch, for a fixed auger length, the moreforward of the hitch the auger will be. This may also be explained bythe operator in the cab of a tractor towing the grain cart being closerto the grain cart (due to the shorter hitch), and therefore havingimproved visibility of the discharge end of the auger assembly, to whichthe operator is now closer.

In addition to improvements to forward and side reach, in accordancewith embodiments of the present invention improved auger performance(e.g., faster discharge rate) may be achieved by the shallower angle θ₂of the lower auger assembly portion. This improves the performance ofthe auger because each turn of the auger results in more grain in theflighting. In some embodiments, the joint assembly 508 can form acompound angle that provides both a lateral offset and an upward tilt ofthe upper auger assembly. See U.S. Pat. No. 9,039,340 incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety. When such a compound angle joint isincluded, the angle the lower auger makes with the ground can be madeeven flatter.

Additionally, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention,greater capacity of the grain cart may be achieved. For example, inembodiments where the lower auger portion forms a shallower angle withthe ground, and because the lower auger portion is moved closer to thecorner of the grain cart, the angle of the lower wall 511 of the graincart (see FIG. 5) can be made shallower, thereby increasing hoppercapacity for a given width and length.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, auger assembly 210 has a side reach B which isa distance that the discharge end or portion 204 of auger assembly 210extends laterally from a side of the cart 200. Auger assembly 210 alsohas a height A which is a vertical distance from the ground or bottom ofthe wheels 114 to the discharge end or portion 204 of auger assembly210. Because discharge portion 204 may in some embodiments changeposition (e.g., to facilitate in the unloading process, the dischargeportion 204 may rotate or swivel from side to side), the measurements ofthe height A or side reach B may depend on the position of the dischargeportion 204. The values for side reach or height may also be dependenton the capacity of the grain cart. In some embodiments of the presentinvention, for example for a grain cart having approximately 1000 or1100 bushels, the side reach B may be from 125 inches to 145 inches, andin certain embodiments from 130 inches to 140 inches, and in certainembodiments approximately 133 inches. In other embodiments of thepresent invention, for example a grain cart having approximately 1300 or1500 bushels, the side reach B may be from 120 to 140 inches. In someembodiments of the present invention, for example for a grain carthaving a capacity of approximately 1000 or 1100 bushels, the height Afrom the ground to the discharge portion 204 is from 165 inches to 175inches, and in certain embodiments from 168 inches to 172 inches, and incertain embodiments approximately 169 inches.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, auger assembly 210 has a height C which is avertical distance from the ground or bottom of the wheels 114 to thedischarge end or portion 204 of auger assembly 210. As shown in FIG. 4,the auger discharge portion 204 is oriented downward. The auger assembly210 also has a horizontal distance D between the hitch 216 and the augerdischarge portion 204. As shown, D is the distance that the augerdischarge portion 204 (when in the operating position) is forward of thehitch. In prior art carts, such as in cart 100, the auger dischargeportion 104 may be located behind the hitch and not forward of it. Insome non-limiting embodiments, for example for a grain cart having acapacity of approximately 1000 or 1100 bushels, the distance D that thedischarge portion is forward of the hitch when in the operating positionmay be from 40 inches to 100 inches, and in certain embodiments from 55inches to 70 inches, and in certain embodiments approximately 60 inches.

As illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 8A, lower auger portion 406 has a lengthI. Length G is a length from the pivot point determining the fold axisto the base plate of the auger. Length H is a length of the flow dooropening where agricultural material can enter into the auger from thehopper. Length I is a distance from one end of the auger to the other,as shown in FIG. 8A. In some non-limiting embodiments, for example for agrain cart having a capacity of approximately 1000 or 1100 bushels, thelength of the lower auger portion I is from 90 inches to 125 inches, andin certain embodiments from 100 inches to 120 inches, and in certainembodiments approximately 107 inches. The pivot to base plate length G(in these non-limiting embodiments) is from 90 inches to 160 inches, andin certain embodiments from 100 inches to 150 inches, and in certainembodiments approximately 107 inches. The flow door opening length H (inthese non-limiting embodiments) is from 30 inches to 40 inches, and incertain embodiments from 34 inches to 38 inches, and in certainembodiments approximately 36 inches. Cart 100 may have a lower augerportion with an auger length of approximately 81 inches, a length fromthe pivot point to the base plate of approximately 87 inches, and a flowdoor opening length of approximately 36 inches. In other embodiments ofthe present invention, for example for a grain cart having a capacity ofapproximately 1300 or 1500 bushels, the length lower auger portion I isfrom 125 inches to 140 inches. As explained above, by moving theposition of where the auger assembly extends from the grain cart closerto the corner, the length of the lower auger portion is thereby allowedto be increased over related art grain carts and thereby increasingforward reach.

In some embodiments, an angle θ₃ is formed (as shown in FIG. 16) whenthe auger assembly is in the transport position. FIG. 16 shows a viewlooking at the centerline of hinge pin 901. From this view, angle θ₃ isdefined as the angle formed by longitudinal axes of upper auger assemblyportion 202 and lower auger assembly portion 406 when the auger assemblyis in the transport position. In some non-limiting embodiments, angle θ₃may be from 25° to 55°, in other embodiments angle θ₃ may be from 30° to40°, and in other embodiments angle θ₃ may be approximately 37°.

Additionally, it will be appreciated that locating the auger assemblycloser to a corner of the cart, and making the angle of the lower augerportion with respect to the ground shallower, allows for a greatercapacity in the hopper and can improve the discharge rate of the auger.

In accordance with some non-limiting embodiments, the forward hitchreach, which is the distance D that the auger discharge portion isforward of the hitch when in the operating position, is at least 45% ofthe side reach B. In other embodiments, the forward hitch reach is atleast 50% or at least 55% or at least 60% of the side reach.

Differences between embodiments of the present invention and existingside-folding grain carts, including the greater forward and side reachcapabilities of embodiments of the present invention, are illustrated bythe following comparisons. As described above, FIG. 1 depicts anoperator's view from an existing side-folding grain cart, and FIGS. 2A-Cdepict an operator's view from a grain cart according to a non-limitingembodiment of the present invention.

In accordance with one non-limiting embodiment for a grain cart having acapacity of approximately 1000 bushels, the distance D that thedischarge portion is forward of the hitch may be approximately 60inches. In comparison, a 1000 bushel Brent 1082 side-fold related artgrain cart has the discharge portion behind the hitch by approximately47 inches in the operating position. Thus, in accordance with someembodiments of the present invention, the distance that the dischargeportion of the upper auger portion is more forward in comparison to theBrent 1082 related art grain cart by approximately 107 inches.

In accordance with the non-limiting embodiment above for a grain carthaving a capacity of approximately 1000 bushels, the lower auger angleθ₂ is approximately 25°. In comparison, a 1000 bushel Brent 1082side-fold related art grain cart has a lower auger angle ofapproximately 39°. Thus, in accordance with some embodiments of thepresent invention, the lower auger angle θ₂ is approximately 37%shallower compared to related art grain carts.

In accordance with the non-limiting embodiment above for a grain carthaving a capacity of approximately 1000 bushels, the lower auger portionhas a lower auger length I of approximately 107 inches. In comparison, a1000 bushel Brent 1082 side-fold related art grain cart has a lowerauger length of approximately 81 inches. Thus, in accordance with someembodiments of the present invention, the lower auger length may beapproximately 32% longer compared to related art grain carts.

In some embodiments, the length of the hitch can also be made shorterthan conventionally used in grain carts. For example, in one embodiment,the hitch length can be as much as one foot less than in related artgrain carts such as cart 100. The hitch or tongue must be long enough tokeep the auger from hitting the tractor. However, shortening the lengthcan increase the forward reach of the auger and the visibility by thetractor operator during an unload operation.

FIGS. 10-14 depict an embodiment of the present invention including atelescoping tongue. Cart 1000 includes a hopper 1018, wheels 114, anauger assembly 1010, and a hitch assembly 1020. Hitch assembly 1020includes a hitch 1022 coupled to inner tongue portion 1024 and outertongue portion 1026. Inner tongue portion 1024 is operable to move in orout of outer tongue portion 1026 by operation of telescoping actuator1028, thereby causing the length of the hitch assembly 1020 to change.Telescoping actuator 1028, in some non-limiting embodiments, may be ahydraulic cylinder. In accordance with some embodiments, FIGS. 10 and 12show hitch assembly 1020 in an extended position, FIGS. 11 and 13 showhitch assembly 1020 in a retracted position, and FIG. 14 shows hitchassembly 1020 in an intermediate position. In some embodiments, thedifference in length of hitch assembly 1020 between the extended andretracted positions is from about 6 inches to about 2 feet, or incertain embodiments from about 8 inches to about 16 inches, or incertain embodiments about 1 foot. In accordance with other embodiments,hitch assembly 1020 may have more or fewer positions than this. Inaccordance with some embodiments, hitch assembly 1020 of grain cart 1000may be employed on any other grain cart herein disclosed, includinggrain cart 200.

In accordance with some embodiments, by decreasing the length of thehitch assembly, the discharge end of auger assembly 1010 is movedforward relative to the hitch assembly, which may make it easier for anoperator to view the auger assembly during discharge. The control of thetelescoping actuator 1028 can be done manually in some embodiments. Thecontrol of the telescoping actuator 1028 could also be completely orpartially automatic, for example by controller 1030. For example, insome embodiments, a controller may be configured to cause thetelescoping actuator 1028 to adjust hitch assembly 1020 to its retractedposition, decreasing the length of the hitch assembly 1020, in responseto, for example, the power take off (PTO), driveshaft, or augerbeginning to rotate. In accordance with some embodiments, a controllermay be configured to cause the telescoping actuator 1028 to adjust hitchassembly 1020 to its extended position, increasing the length of thehitch assembly 1020, in response to the unloading process beingcomplete. Increasing the length of hitch assembly 1020 when theunloading process is complete, for example, can lead to increasedturning clearance. This extending movement could be done when therotation of the PTO, driveshaft or auger is zero. Control of thetelescoping actuator 1028 could also be based on the upper augerposition. For instance, the telescoping actuator can be controlled toadjust the hitch assembly to the retracted position in response to thedischarge auger being in the unloading position and the telescopingactuator can be controlled to adjust the hitch assembly to the extendedposition in response to the auger being moved to the transport position.Controller 1030 may, in some embodiments, be located on the grain cartor located on the tractor or located remotely, such as on a handhelddevice. Controller 1030 may, in some embodiments, be configured tocontrol telescoping actuator 1028 or hitch assembly 1020 by a wiredconnection or a wireless connection to telescoping actuator 1028 orhitch assembly 1020. In accordance with some embodiments, controller1030 may use a sensor for detecting rotation or the PTO, driveshaft orauger, or position of the upper auger.

In some embodiments, a first telescoping drive assembly may be providedto transmit torque from the tractor PTO to the auger and a secondtelescoping drive assembly may be provided between the grain cart hitchand the auger.

Thus, a number of embodiments have been fully described above withreference to the drawing figures. Other details of the embodiments ofthe invention should be readily apparent to one skilled in the art fromthe drawings. Although the invention has been described based upon theseembodiments, it would be apparent to those skilled in the art thatcertain modifications, variations, and alternative constructions wouldbe apparent, while remaining within the spirit and scope of theinvention. For example, a gear box with a pair of beveled gears or adouble U-joint could be used as a coupling for the upper and lower augerportions instead of a single U-joint. Furthermore, if desired, the lowerauger portion can be a turbo auger as disclosed in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/192,821, titled “Improved Auger for a GrainCart,” filed on Aug. 16, 2007, the entire contents of which areincorporated herein by reference. Additionally, while the grain cart hasbeen shown and described with two wheels on a single axle, it will beappreciated by those skilled in the art that the folding auger of thepresent invention can be utilized in a cart having walking-tandem dualwheels, steerable tandem axles and other wheel arrangements. These andother modifications of the present invention are intended to be withinthe scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A grain cart comprising: a wheeled frame; acontainer mounted on said frame and configured to hold a quantity ofgrain, said container having front, rear and laterally opposed sidewalls; a folding auger assembly having upper and lower auger assemblyportions connected by a joint assembly, said lower auger assemblyportion having a lower auger housing with first and second ends and alower auger portion rotatably disposed in said lower auger housing, andsaid upper auger assembly portion having an upper auger housing withfirst and second ends and an upper auger portion rotatably disposed insaid upper auger housing; wherein said first end of said lower augerhousing has an intake opening proximate a bottom of said container toreceive grain and said second end of said lower auger housing isdisposed substantially at a front corner of said container where one ofsaid laterally opposed side walls intersects the front wall of thecontainer; wherein said first end of said upper auger housing isdisposed adjacent said second end of said lower auger housing and saidsecond end of said upper auger housing has a discharge portion todischarge grain from said container; wherein said joint assembly definesa pivot axis about which said upper auger assembly portion is pivotablerelative to said lower auger assembly portion between an operatingposition in which said first end of said upper auger housing abuts saidsecond end of said lower auger housing to permit grain to be dischargedfrom said container and a transport position in which said upper augerassembly portion extends along said one of said laterally opposed sidewalls defining said front corner to facilitate transporting said graincart; wherein a longitudinal axis of said lower auger assembly portionextends upwardly, forwardly, and laterally outward relative to saidfront corner of said container when in said operating position, andwherein a longitudinal axis of said upper auger assembly portion extendslaterally outward relative to said longitudinal axis of said lower augerassembly portion; wherein said upper auger assembly portion includes afirst auger coupling portion and said lower auger assembly portionincludes a second auger coupling portion, and wherein at least one ofsaid first and second auger coupling portions is angularly offset from alongitudinal axis of at least one of said upper and lower auger housingsand connected to a joint that allows the transfer of rotational motionthrough an angle; wherein said first auger coupling portion isconfigured to releasably engage with said second auger coupling portionin said operating position, and said first auger coupling portion isconfigured to be disengaged from said second auger coupling portion;wherein said joint transmits rotational forces through the at least oneangularly offset portion when said first and second auger couplingportions are releasably engaged in said operating position; and whereinsaid grain cart further comprises a hitch for allowing said grain cartto be towed, wherein said discharge portion is forward of said hitchwhen in said operating position.
 2. The grain cart of claim 1, whereinsaid discharge portion is forward of said hitch when in said operatingposition by a distance from 40 inches to 100 inches.
 3. The grain cartof claim 2, wherein said discharge portion is forward of said hitch whenin said operating position by a distance from 60 inches to 70 inches. 4.The grain cart of claim 1, wherein said joint is a universal joint. 5.The grain cart of claim 1, wherein an angle of said joint formed bylongitudinal axes of the upper and lower auger assembly portions is from17° to 18° when in said operating position.
 6. The grain cart of claim1, wherein said upper auger assembly portion does not extend beyond saidrear wall when in said transport position.
 7. The grain cart of claim 1,wherein said upper auger assembly portion extends beyond said rear wallwhen in said transport position by a distance no more than 5 inches. 8.The grain cart of claim 1, wherein said lower auger assembly portionforms an angle with the ground of from 22° to 26°.
 9. The grain cart ofclaim 8, wherein a length of said lower auger assembly portion isapproximately 107 inches.
 10. The grain cart of claim 1, wherein alength of said lower auger assembly portion is from about 90 inches toabout 125 inches.
 11. The grain cart of claim 1, wherein a length ofsaid lower auger assembly portion is from about 100 inches to about 120inches.
 12. The grain cart of claim 1, said discharge portion includes adischarge spout.
 13. The grain cart of claim 1, wherein an angle formedby said upper auger assembly portion and said lower auger assemblyportion when in said transport position is from 25° to 55°.
 14. Thegrain cart of claim 1, wherein an angle formed by said upper augerassembly portion and said lower auger assembly portion when in saidtransport position is from 30° to 40°.
 15. The grain cart of claim 1,wherein said pivot axis is located behind a front-sloping portion ofsaid front wall.
 16. The grain cart of claim 1, wherein said pivot axisis located in front of a front-sloping portion of said front wall.
 17. Agrain cart comprising: a wheeled frame; a container mounted on saidframe and configured to hold a quantity of grain, said container havingfront, rear and laterally opposed side walls; a side-folding augerassembly having upper and lower auger assembly portions connected by ajoint assembly, said lower auger assembly portion having a lower augerhousing with first and second ends and a lower auger portion rotatablydisposed in said lower auger housing, and said upper auger assemblyportion having an upper auger housing with first and second ends and anupper auger portion rotatably disposed in said upper auger housing; anda hitch for allowing said grain cart to be towed; wherein saidside-folding auger assembly includes a pivot pin; wherein said upperauger assembly portion is pivotable about said pivot pin relative tosaid lower auger assembly portion between an operating position in whichsaid first end of said upper housing abuts said second end of said lowerauger housing to permit grain to be discharged from said container and atransport position in which said upper auger assembly portion extendsalong one of said laterally opposed side walls; wherein said upper augerassembly portion includes a discharge portion to discharge grain fromsaid container; wherein said discharge portion is forward of said hitchwhen in said operating position; wherein said upper auger assemblyportion has a forward hitch reach and a side reach, wherein said forwardhitch reach is a distance that said discharge portion is forward of saidhitch when in said operating position, and said side reach is a distancethat said discharge portion extends outward from said one of saidlaterally opposed side walls; and wherein said forward hitch reach is atleast 45% of said side reach.
 18. The grain cart of claim 17, whereinsaid forward hitch reach is at least 50% of said side reach.
 19. Thegrain cart of claim 17, wherein said forward hitch reach is at least 55%of said side reach.
 20. The grain cart of claim 17, wherein said forwardhitch reach is at least 60% of said side reach.
 21. The grain cart ofclaim 17, wherein said discharge portion includes a discharge spout. 22.The grain cart according to claim 17, wherein said first end of saidlower auger housing has an intake opening proximate a bottom of saidcontainer to receive grain and said second end of said lower augerhousing is disposed substantially at a front corner of said containerwhere one of said laterally opposed side walls intersects the front wallof the container.
 23. A grain cart comprising: a wheeled frame; acontainer mounted on said frame and configured to hold a quantity ofgrain, said container having front, rear and laterally opposed sidewalls; a side-folding auger assembly having upper and lower augerassembly portions connected by a joint assembly, said lower augerassembly portion having a lower auger housing with first and second endsand a lower auger portion rotatably disposed in said lower augerhousing, and said upper auger assembly portion having an upper augerhousing with first and second ends and an upper auger portion rotatablydisposed in said upper auger housing; a hitch assembly including a hitchfor allowing said grain cart to be towed and a telescoping tongue; asensor configured to detect rotation of said lower auger portion or saidupper auger portion; and a controller operatively linked to said hitchassembly and said sensor; wherein said hitch assembly is operable toadjust the length of said telescoping tongue by moving the telescopingtongue between a retracted position having a first length and anextended position having a second length that is longer than the firstlength; wherein said controller is configured to cause said hitchassembly to adjust the length of said telescoping tongue so that saidhitch assembly moves to said retracted position when the sensor detectsthat said lower auger portion or said upper auger portion beginsrotating.
 24. The grain cart according to claim 23, wherein saidcontroller is configured to cause said hitch assembly to adjust thelength of said telescoping tongue so that said hitch assembly moves tosaid extended position when the sensor detects that said lower augerportion or said upper auger portion stops rotating.
 25. The grain cartaccording to claim 23, wherein said controller is configured to causesaid hitch assembly to adjust the length of said telescoping tongue sothat said hitch assembly moves to said retracted position when saidupper auger assembly portion is moved to an operational position andwherein said controller is further configured to cause said hitchassembly to adjust the length of said telescoping tongue so that saidhitch assembly moves to said extended position when said upper augerassembly portion is moved to a transport position.